Research Achieves Significant Progress in the Fight Against Cancer

ScienceDaily | Dec 11, 2013

A report released by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) emphasizes the noteworthy progress made in the understanding and treatment of cancer in recent years. Cancer death rates have declined 21% among men and 12% among women since the 1990s. A better understanding of the genetic makeup of different cancers helps guide individualized treatment. Research has also yielded first-ever therapies for several treatment-resistant cancers. Targeted immunotherapy lets patients harness their own immune system to fight their cancer. However, due to a growing and aging population, new cancer cases in the U.S. are predicted to increase 40% by 2030. The report’s authors warn that stagnant funding in the wake of federal budget cuts could stall further advances in cancer research.